Supporting himself as artisan and clerk, he was able to study at the University of St. Petersburg and to teach sociology. Mendukung dirinya sebagai Artisan dan kerani, ia dapat belajar di University of St Petersburg dan mengajar sosiologi. Sorokin was imprisoned three times by the czarist regime of Russian Empire ; during the Russian Revolution he was a member of Alexander Kerensky 's Russian Provisional Government . Sorokin telah dipenjarakan tiga kali oleh rezim czarist dari Rusia Empire; selama Revolusi Rusia dia adalah seorang anggota Alexander Kerensky 's Rusia Provisional Pemerintah. After the October Revolution he engaged in anti- Communist activities, for which he was condemned to death by the victorious Communist government; the sentence was commuted to exile . Setelah Revolusi Oktober dia terlibat dalam anti-Komunis kegiatan yang ia dikutuk sampai mati oleh pemerintah komunis yang menang; kalimat itu commuted ke pengasingan. He emigrated in 1923 to the United States and was naturalized in 1930. Dia berhijrah pada tahun 1923 ke Amerika Serikat dan telah naturalized tahun 1930. Sorokin was professor of sociology at the University of Minnesota (1924–30) and at Harvard University (1930–55), where he founded the Department of Sociology. Sorokin adalah profesor dari sosiologi di University of Minnesota (1924-30) dan di Harvard University (1930-55), di mana ia mendirikan Departemen Sosiologi.